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Lean into trying
While the saying, “Do or do not, there is no try,” is incredibly popular and compelling, it has never resonated with me. To me, the human condition is almost entirely about trying. It’s about putting yourself out there, making an attempt, and living with the outcome. Two quotes that come to mind: Stravinsky, a composer…
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Docs, branding, and opinions
There’s a reason writing amplifies the abilities of software companies, and it’s not (just) the marketing. I’ve previously put forward the idea that great writing is an extension of the product, in which I talk about documentation and brand voice. I neglected to mention a key factor: Most people don’t know what to do with…
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“Put the paint on the canvas!”
For 99.99% of people who want to make things, making something good is the second most significant challenge. Making anything at all is the most significant challenge. There are so many psychological factors that get in the way of the creative process, which prevent a person from making anything. Some statements include: “I don’t have…
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Predictive processing theory
A common saying goes, “We see the world not as it is, but as we are.” Philosopher Andy Clark wrote a book on this topic. His thesis is centered on the predictive processing theory, suggesting that the brain’s main function is to make predictions. He writes in The Experience Machine: Nothing we do or experience—if…
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The case against the case against travel
A few weeks ago, I came across this piece making the case against travel. There has been some interesting commentary on the piece already (here, and here), and I wanted to share some points: 1. One thing worth appreciating is context: while travel has remained the same in many ways, it has also drastically changed.…
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The subtle misery of high expectations
There’s a centuries-old train of thought that equates expectations with results. In Blessed, author Kate Bowler quotes Essek William Kenyon, writing, “Christian talk about hope had to be amended, for, as Kenyon claimed, “Hope says, ‘I will get it sometime.’ Faith says, ‘I have it now.’”” Bowler described the core of this metaphysical train of…
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GL HF
As a teenager I played a fair amount of Starcraft. I was rarely ever the best player—I didn’t click fast enough, I didn’t play with enough aggression, and I relied too often on the same strategies when I should have been evolving them—which meant that I didn’t put myself in a winning position very often.…
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A newsletter you’ll want to share…
My team at Figma is working on a really cool editorial project. I can’t say much about it—only that it’s designed to earn its way into your inbox. Visit our blog, Shortcut, and scroll to the middle (“Subscribe to Shortcut for an instantly better inbox”). Subscribe to the mailing list to be the first to…
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Last mile pressure
Sometimes, for whatever reason, the experience of finishing the final task (or putting the final touches on a project, or solving the final problem, etc.) feels absolutely impossible. This post is one such example. There are a lot of possible reasons why, as well as a lot of solutions. My favorite one is to scope…
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No interruptions, please
Creative work compounds, so long as you keep practicing. “The first rule of compounding: Never interrupt it unnecessarily.” Charlie Munger See also this post, this post, and this.